SOME of the biggest names in Lancashire’s budget shopping market top a new table of the region’s richest people.

The retail tycoons behind chains such as B&M Bargains, Home Bargains and Matalan are among the top-five wealthiest families in the North West.

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The three discounters have strengthened their grip at the head of the North West Business Insider Rich List 2015 — although leading figures from the worlds of property, leisure, digital, finance, food and transport also make an appearance.

Tom Morris and family, of discount retailer Home Bargains, takes top spot as their estimated fortune rose from £2.05 billion in 2014 to £2.25 billion in 2015.

And the Arora brothers — of fellow discount retailer B&M, which opened its first store, in Blackpool, in 1978 — jumped a place to second after their fortune climbed from £1.7 billion to £2 billion.

Bury-born John Whittaker and family, of conglomerate the Peel Group, slipped to third with a fortune of £1.9 billion, down from £2 billion a year earlier.

John Hargreaves and family — of discount retailer Matalan, which opened its first store, in Preston, in 1985 — found their estimated fortune, unchanged at £1 billion, is fifth on the list. Baking dynasty the Warburton family are 12th in the list with a £530 million fortune, the firm founded in Bolton in 1876.

The 23rd richest person was former Blackburn Rovers footballer and Wigan Athletic owner Dave Whelan, who is worth £200 million thanks to his gym and leisurewear outlets.

Former Primet High School student Ted Fort OBE came in 28th, with a fortune of approximately £150 million, for his success with Simonstone engineering firm Fort Vale.

Blackburn entrepreneurs Zuber and Moshin Issa, who founded Euro Garages, are also worth £150 million — up £50 million in 12 months.

Former Apprentice Matthew Riley, of the Daisy telecoms firm which has a base in Nelson, is 35th on the list with a £134 million fortune, while Jason Cropper and family, founders of e-cigarette firm Totally Wicked, were ranked at 52 with a £100 million fortune.

At 99 in the list are Richard Bannister and family who own Boundary Mill, Colne. They are worth £48 million.

According to the 2015 rankings, the combined wealth of the top 100 continues to rise — up 4.7 per cent to £23.58 billion in this year, although this was significantly slower than the growth rate of 19 per cent witnessed in 2014.

Chris Maguire, editor of North West Business Insider, said: “Our research shows that the region’s wealthiest working millionaires are continuing to see their fortunes grow.

“The fact that our 2015 rankings include figures from sectors such as retail, property, leisure, digital, telecoms, sport, manufacturing, food, transport and finance underlines the diversity of the North West business community and bodes well for the future prosperity of the region.”

The number of millionaires in the North West has risen by 41 per cent in the last five years, with the region now home to 45,000 — up from 32,000 in 2010.

Steve Renfrew, regional director of the North West at Barclays Wealth & Investment Management, said: “The results of this research are indicative of a region on an upward trajectory. Entrepreneurialism, innovation and a hardworking attitude are in the DNA of people in the North West and as a result of this there is an exciting buzz around business in the region.”